Tag: Science Fiction

There’s More Than Meets the Eye

Posted on by hunterestaruck

Do you want to know what the future holds for you?

Okay not exactly…but I can give you a good idea. Let me introduce you to one of the most popular genres of literature, science fiction. Unique in its purpose because well…it actually has a purpose. Doing more than just servicing your boredom it allows us to poke holes in our long-term societal goals, analyze our shortcomings, and gives us a better understanding on the manipulation of human values.

With that being said I believe science fiction is important beyond just being another story.

The first reason has to do with providing you the ability to think critically about long-term societal goals.

Letting us think logically about the reality of a situation. Science fiction’s number one rule is that it must be possible and explained through science. This lends its hand perfectly to what makes this genre so great, that we have an explanation and possibly a peak into the succeeding society.

A great example of this is space travel. Launching ourselves into the never-ending abyss sounded ridiculous at first but as time passes these ideas have come to fruition. In partial thanks to the authors for challenging what we believe to be impossible. Now we face the task of longer and longer expeditions which have been written about for decades at this point with countless perspectives on how we will achieve the next big journey.

The genre also presents the opportunity to fully flesh out these long-term ideas, giving us a rule of thumb in terms of possible solutions and consequences. It’s like we are going into a test with cheat sheet.

Not to say that they are giving us the blueprint to success but in that same vein of thought behind space travel, we can ask what consequences could arise from being living in a flying computer for centuries? Would that lead to a crippling dependency or an astronomical jump in what we believe to be average intelligence? These are questions answered all throughout science fiction writing and I don’t know where else we can tinker with concepts in both great detail and tremendous presentation.

Secondly, it allows us to amplify our flaws of today and see how translates moving forward.

Taking a long look in the mirror to reflect on our current behaviors and the consequences that we may be leading ourselves up to. Schools have been on the quest to level the playing fields with children when it comes to rewarding exceptional results. In the efforts to make sure no one’s feelings are hurt. Slowly diminishing the hunger of being better than your peers at something. What would happen if we took this degree of equality and applied it to all of society, what would it cost to make sure everyone was accounted for?

Kurt Vonnegut has a brilliant depiction of a society that has gone too far with trying to make every last person equal titled “Harrison Bergeron”. Though our intentions may be good, he says that following this path we are on may have irreversible consequences. Explaining that in the pursuit of true parity we are only rationing equal misery amongst one another.

Makes you think about if you really deserved that participation ribbon in fourth grade, doesn’t it?

What makes it so fascinating is that these depictions of society are focusing on current issues that may serve a greater prevalence many years down the line. Stories being told decades from now either have the world slowly withering away or in the clutches of government power.

In more recent years there has been renewed spotlight for political actions which has prompted many acts and legislation to be reviewed. As the world invests more and more time online this scares the government because it’s one place where they don’t have a prominent hand in curating its use. I think we are seeing that starting with Bill C-10 in Canada where media has become such a powerhouse for influence that it frightens government heads. Now they are trying to wedge their way into having a voice in how the systems operate. This was quickly put to a halt by the public as subconsciously I feel we’ve tapping into our anxieties instilled by science fiction themes of government corruption and class uprise. Living with hindsight like its groundhog’s day.

Lastly, science fiction has been a great source for analyzing human values.

There are so many scenarios and world altering variables that feature in the stories these authors present to us. When faced with great adversity we can see where morals, ethics, and values play their part in people’s behavior. Dystopic environments paint a new society that is incomparable, smashed into fragments of what it once was and stripped of its resources.

When there is no control and chaos ensue, people tend to work together in the efforts of building the next society. Unity amongst the human race seems to only show itself when there is true threat. Either by war, disaster, or aliens being the most notable which makes sense because humans love to fight against other races. I mean World Wars, The World Cup, Olympics, you get the point.

The flip side brings us to a world that soaks in resources which pits man against itself. When there is no scarcity greed fuels the wicked to position themselves one step ahead of their peers.

Cyberpunk plays with this premise in its worlds since there is a hierarchy that holds humanity under control, and they must operate under the microscope of the powers that be. As they may not be able to acquire higher value materials, resource, or modifications. Here is where we see the presence of black-market entities promoting your ability to hoard and rotate value with one another, with both sides feeling like they got the better end of the deal.

The stories told show how human behavior can be manipulated as humans will adapt whenever necessary. So, if you ever wanted to know how to manage in these next-gen scenarios there is endless catalogs to reflect on.

Science fiction has the ability to take what you are familiar with and package it completely different ways. And the reason its familiar is because you are living the prologue. Engaging in this genre gives you great insight on where the world stands today in a way that no other can. Workshopping our concepts, reflecting on our flaws, and better understanding ourselves. Providing almost an arial view for our problems.

Truly unique in that sense so, it’s up to you on if you want to look through that window and see what your future has in store.

 

 

 

Blog Post Revision: You can wear the shoes, but never fill them

Posted on by hunterestaruck

Cliches are a pretty general guilty pleasure. As movies prove humans strive for that perfect romantic moment. Or in contrast, watching the world burn. Wastelands and ruined cities allow us to play these out. Maybe not the lovey dovely stuff. More so vicariously living in these dangerous environments. But why would we want to watch a ripped apart version of the world we live in?

Our brain automatically puts us in these situations. To me, that is where all the appeal lies.

In these narratives the environment is alive. Breathing the dark smoggy air it produces. The setting is another character in a sense. Because there is some much interaction between the two. Normally playing some part in the conflict’s that arise as well. Writers like to play on this. Needing the protagonist to use their creativity in solving issues along the journey. Where understanding the environment plays in your favour greatly.

It’s important to find the distinction between two twins in literature. Science fiction and supernatural. Now this is pretty simple. Sci-fi deals with natural consequences (climate change, astronomical factors, etc.) or humans caused events (world wars, pandemics, etc.). Whereas the supernatural goes as told, going against the laws of nature, featuring elements like magic, ghosts, and gods.

Think about the franchises “X-Men” and “Alien”. Both dealing with monster like creatures. Where one can be explained through science, and the other leaning into ancient gods.

You can understand how they’d be in the same family tree. Just with interchangeable key detailing. A formula bound for success as the genres have aged like wine. Allowing themselves to be recycled time and time again yet we are still hypnotized by our own imagination.

Pulling ourselves, into these worlds.

You can wear the shoes, but never fill them.

Posted on by hunterestaruck

Considering how much the general population likes to hate cliché’s, the census still would like to see the world burn. And that’s exactly what wastelands and ruined cities allow us to play out. To live vicariously in these dangerous environments, just so we can lean over to our friends afterwards and ask, “what are the odds you even last a week?”. Our brain automatically puts us in the environmental situations. To me this is where all the appeal lies.

In these narratives the environment is alive, breathing the dark smoggy air it produces. The setting acts as another character in a sense because there is some much interaction between the two, normally playing some part in the conflict’s that arise as well. Writers like to play on this usually needing the protagonist to use their creativity to solve issues faced along the journey, where understanding the environment plays in your favour greatly. Video games do an exceptional job of this, most notable being the series Fallout and Borderlands where you are dropped into these massive sandboxes and are asked to adapt to your new surroundings whist completing tasks.

Although we need to remember with these environments there are different ways in how we come about the finished product. What I’m talking about is finding the distinction between science fiction apocalypses and those that are supernatural. Now this is pretty simple, sci-fi examples are either caused by nature (climate change, astronomical factors, etc.) or by humans (world wars, pandemics, etc.). Whereas the supernatural goes as told, going against the laws of nature, featuring elements like magic and gods. A good example for this would be “X-Men: Apocalypse”, where the source of conflict is brought by the awakening of an enchant Egyptian mutant god wanting to end all of humanity. Think of it like regular burgers and impossible burgers, you may not be able to clock the differences based on the surrounding conditions until you sink your teeth into it. Similar audiences but serve different purposes.

As a writer creating a narrative that takes place in wastelands and ruined cities can’t be as daunting as physically living them out, as the idea relatively stays the same, almost with interchangeable detailing. There is great flexibility when using this particular setting as long as you cater to your distinction, meaning what you chose the cause to be. A formula bound for success as the theme has aged like wine, allowing itself to be recycled time and time again yet we are still hypnotized by our own imagination pulling ourselves into these worlds.